livingnow

Im not sure if I AM an alcoholic.....
But thats not the point of this thread.
I have a question...

Are there different levels of this alcoholic thing?

I ask because I read so many EXTREME posts on this site like
Like - I ended up in Jail, the ER, bloodied etc...
I almost feel like I dont belong here.....(in some ways)??

Thats never been me, not even close...I cant touch those stories (thank God).

So whatcha think about my question / statement?

biminiblue

All these things are available to you if you keep drinking. We call them "yets" (haven't happened to me...yet). Alcoholism is progressive - so it will continue down the rabbit hole - it's your choice when you would like to stop digging.

I didn't have any of those happen, either. I still know I'm alcoholic.

What you choose to call yourself is your business - but if drinking is a problem for you there is one solution.

Not drinking.

herradura

I struggled with this question too when I signed on. There are certainly different levels of alcoholism, the thing I have found out is it is a progressive problem. Bimini hit it on the head with the "these things are all available to you". Profound. So it may not be a problem which require the law, yet, but it is available to you. Personally never had a DWI, beat up anyone, gotten beaten, financial problems etc, but they are all, yets.

Good luck

luvmygirls

I completely agree with bimini...as far as I can tell, there are not different "types" but rather different "stages." It is truly progressive. I never really understood that until recently, when my years in a very "functional" stage quickly spiraled into isolation and despair (even though I kept all the trappings of a family, job, house). I hadn't lost them YET, but I would. I could.

Wastinglife

I wasn't even close to those things either at age 28. By age 34, I had them all checked off. Alcoholism is progressive. A slippery slope. It was when my alcohol tolerance had gotten so high that I started drinking to the point of hitting the 'black-out' stage that things like that happened.

Fly N Buy

Yet - You're Eligible Too!

I never:
lost all
lived under a bridge
had any dui's or jail
didn't loose job / family / things

I did:
Have Body, mind and spirit crushed
Turned into a spiteful, hateful, self centered person not caring about myself or you

Drank for over 30 years - last 10 daily / heavily.

Today at almost 4 months with no booze or ganga
peace and serenity as I have not ever know
the reflection of my despair in loved ones' eyes is now hope!
Discovered simple, ordinary encounters with my fellow man is truthful - honest and cherished.
Listen with joy to my family about daily life.....( remarkable, always bored MEMEMEMEM.....)

I hope I NEVER drink again......

Few people read forums about being drunks that aren't thinking " hey, I may have a problem". So, while the really bad things - I guess, were avoided in my life and perhaps yours - you might stick around here and look for similarities and not differences.

For fun, google the AA big book - it's free online. Read some stories under Section Two - They Stopped in Time.


peace to us all
fly

peace

bigsombrero

I disliked Treatment, AA, and even this website in early recovery because I thought the same way you did. Those "down and out" drunks were just prostitutes and criminals, and I didn't want to be a part of that group. Once I settled down and got to know many people in the recovery community, I found out that wasn't true. There are a wide range of people with a wide range of experiences here.

I also agree with those who talk about "stages" above me. If you're not there yet, you'll get there. A relationship will fail, a job will be lost, health will deteriorate, a bone will be broken, and so will some laws. There are consequences for most of us who continue to abuse alcohol. And if you've got through this scott free yourself, you probably wouldn't be here either, eh? Welcome aboard, it's a big bus and we've got room.

Anna

I think there are stages of alcoholism, but there are not different types of alcoholics.

Alcoholism is a progressive disease.

livingnow

Wow. Speechless. amazing post
Thank you so VERY much.

ANewDayNYC

Alcohol is definitely progressive. There is no reason to wait until things get worse to stop drinking. You likely looked up this website for a reason.

Soberwolf

I know some are sensitive to calling/labeling themselves Alcoholic as long as you realise alcohol is the problem/issue then like D said call it trevor for all i care

for me its easy because i know i am an alcoholic i accepted it (that's just me)

as for diffrent levels......Alcoholism is a progressive Addiction/Diesease/Illness

FreeOwl

If alcohol is negatively impacting your ability to truly, deeply live the life that somewhere inside you know you could be living.

If your relationship of alcohol is troubling you enough that you are searching within yourself as to whether you are "some level" of an alcoholic.

If you have come to a place where you have begun to consider that you might be better off living a sober life....

Then it may not matter at all whether you're 'an alcoholic' or what 'level' you've attained. It might be that you're simply very blessed to be conscious enough that you have been given the gift to see sobriety as a wiser path WITHOUT needing the repeated, devastating wake-up calls that many of us have needed.

That said.... I went for years pointing at the examples of others and saying things to myself like "Well geeze, I'm not that bad. I am not an 'alcoholic'. I have a great career. I have lots of friends. I have money and success and a house and I've never been homeless. I haven't ever been arrested for a DUI (until I was. Twice.). I haven't had an affair (Until I did). I haven't risked losing my family or children (until it was clear that was not too far off if I didn't change....).

The chances are good, considering you're here at all, that alcohol has woven itself into your life more than you ever wanted it too and perhaps even more than you're currently able to admit to yourself.

Perhaps, that's all the 'level' you need to make another choice.

ScottFromWI

I think you are looking for someone to tell you that you aren't an alcoholic so you can keep drinking. Perhaps not consciously, but re-read your post. You say you haven't decided if you are and alcoholic or not, you also say you don't know if you belong here. Your reasoning is that you arent as bad as others here.

I believe that you either are an alcoholic or you are not. The only thing that differs from one to the next is how bad they let things get before they finally admit it and get help. And the brutal truth is that only you can make that decision.

PolarBlue

People who may not be alcoholics can also end up in jail, ER, or bloodied from having a few too many. It only takes one night of partying for any of that to happen.

I've only been to the ER once due to stomach pains during a hangover and it turned out to be a waste of time and money. No trouble with the law or DUIs, although I've been fortunate. What I think makes me an alcoholic is not being able to stop drinking if I have more readily available. Sure sometimes I'd get too tired to finish a 12 pack, but I would always kill it soon the next day or during the night.

There have been exceptions, but for the most part I can't keep alcohol in this house for very long. A lot of people have bars that are stocked with liquor for get togethers. I could never have anything like that obviously.

patricia68

Alcohol was slowly destroying my brain to the point that my panic, anxiety and paranoia were unbearable. Never experienced anything more painful than a panic attack. That was my jail time, I sentenced myself every time I got drunk.

Lucrezia

I haven't read any of the responces so far. So her is MY response to this.

Imagine that alcoholism is like a cancer. This site has a lot of 3rd and 4th stage victims discussing their experiences/horror stories/recovery stores. But what about everyone else??

I would say that if you are her, even worrying a little bit about your drinking, then you have a problem. You have a cancer, of sorts. Alcoholism is like a cancer. It eats at you, it destroys your body and mind, it can kill you...

If you are in the early stages, that doesn't mean you don't have a problem. In fact, it might mean that you can treat it faster, easier. Maybe not so, but, there is hope on that. Please don't compare stories too much. Everyone is in a different stage of recovery. But everyone here - we all have the same disease. And it does kill, eventually.

SO. I am very, very glad you are here. I hope you can be well.

livingnow

Thank you all for your replies.
Because of this thread
I have learned that:

-Im here on SR because I NEED to be.
-Ive become aware that "something is not right" with my drinking - and You here at SR are teaching me that Im not alone.
-Im "catching this issue " early on, before bigger problems arise. and THEY WILL If I dont stop.
(those are problems with health, law, family, job etc)
and most of all Ive learned that
When you ask a real question on SR forums, you will get real answers!!!
Some of them too real and they hurt.
They hurt, because they bring me back to Earth, and I become aware that
some of my thinking is driven by the AV. Im also humbled back to reality
Im learning to distinguish between the truth and the AV over time.

Thank you my many friends here.
I needed this today

Leezer

We're all the same--just different names and stages in the game. Welcome.

Hawks

If you have great difficulty with stopping drinking for any length of time and this combines with an inability to control the amount you consume once you start drinking...... Then you are probably an alcoholic.

If I told you my story, you'd compare yourself and think "I'm NOT that bad "

At what point would you begin treatment for any other problem?

Oh seems I have pneumonia, I'll wait till my lungs fill with fluid and I can hardly breath, then I might go see a Dr.

Oh seems I have a gnarly rash on my hands.... I will wait till this rash covers my entire body, top to toe, then I'll go see a Dr.

Oh, I have googled a questionnaire about alcoholic drinking, but I only have 4 out of 12 of the boxes ticked..... Maybe a good idea would be to wait until I am at least able to tick 10 of the boxes.... Just to be sure.

It doesn't make sense does it?

livingnow

^thank you